The Inn on Balaban: The Authentic Experience from the Bran Valley

The Inn on Balaban is a rare presence among the local guest houses from Bran and the nearby valleys. Started as a family project of restoring traditional architecture in a place of peaceful beauty, the Inn on Balaban is perhaps the best choice if you’re looking for the complete and authentic experience in the mountain villages around Bran.

Located on top of a hill from Simon village, just a few kilometers away from the famous Bran Castle and less than one hour from Brasov, the Inn on Balaban has all the right ingredients: grand views of Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains, surrounding rolling hills with haystacks and the picture-perfect image of sheep flocks and cows grazing undisturbed. But what essentially makes the inn special is its love for traditional peasant architecture so vividly reproduced in every single one of its elements, from interior decorations to construction techniques.

The story of its traditional architecture

The story of the inn began decades ago, in 1968, when its owner crossed the Carpathian Mountains while working on a documentary for National Geographic. The son of a Romanian diplomat, Mr. Dan Dimancescu was back then for the first time in Romania. Along his journey across the mountains, he stopped in Magura, a small village from Piatra Craiului Mountains, where he noticed a traditional mountain house. Many years later, the same house, meanwhile moved in the open-air Astra Museum from Sibiu, was his inspiration for creating the Inn on Balaban.

Built after the plans of the old house from Magura, only using traditional construction methods and materials, the Inn on Balaban is the faithful copy of a typical mountain house from the Bran Valley. Hand-crafted details like the 250,000 shingles handmade by a local artisan from Bran, the wooden nails, the hand-hewn beams, the furniture and decorations either handmade especially for the house or bought from antiques fairs add even more authenticity to the place.

Accommodation and services

The Inn on Balaban combines perfectly its traditional looks with all the comfort of modern life, including the much-needed Wi-Fi. It offers accommodation for up to 20 people in six double rooms and two single rooms, six rooms available in the Main House and three rooms available in the Peasant House. Over 100 years old, the Peasant House was saved from a sure demolition a few years ago when it was moved from the valley on the Balaban Hill where it was carefully reconstructed. The inn also offers a space for meetings and events, a large room suited for 10 to 20 people and two smaller rooms for workshops.

The range of services is diverse and fits the most various requests, from helicopter rides to cultural visits, hiking and trekking tours, winter sleigh rides, picnics and folk events.

Things to do

The typical and serene landscape of the mountain villages along Bran Valley will be your playground during your stay at the Inn on Balaban. Many hiking, cycling and walking trails cross the villages around Bran and most of them are easy enough even for families with younger kids. For the most adventurous, Piatra Craiului National Park – with their tall and narrow limestone ridge – is just a few kilometers away.

In essence, the Inn on Balaban is the perfect location and guest house for the curious travelers looking to experience the traditional culture of a mountain village from the Carpathians, one of the most authentic and particular attractions of Romania.

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SPECIAL

This guest house is built just like a typical mountain home from Bran Valley, with traditional techniques and materials and handmade decorations.

AWARDS

ANTREC Gold Medal Award for the Best Traditional Inn in Romania

CAPACITY

Up to 20 guests in 9 double rooms and 2 single rooms

Family friendly

Non-smoking

GASTRONOMY

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Picnics

FACILITIES

WiFi access

Free parking

Living

Dinning room

Kitchen

Terrace

Private bathroom

Meeting rooms

Conference space

Garden

SERVICES

Airport transfers

Meetings

Helicopter rides

Folk events

Visits to local artisans

Cultural visits

Active tours

Nature tours

Sleigh rides

ACTIVITIES

Walking

Hiking

Climbing

Photography

Cultural visits

Cycling

PHOTO GALLERY

Photo gallery The Inn on Balaban: The Authentic Experience from the Bran Valley

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

View from the Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

View from the Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

View from the Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

The Inn on Balaban

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

You’ll find plenty of attractions around the Inn on Balaban, from the famous Bran Castle to walking and hiking trails, traditional villages, cycling paths and the medieval attractions from Brasov, Rasnov and the nearby Saxon villages.